I remember nothing after that. Not a damn thing. Until I’m startled awake with a kick straight to my stomach.
ANNA
Something inside of me breaks angrily. Snaps off like lead at the end of a pencil. I cannot believe the evil, vindictive creature in front of me is even human. But he is. Humans kill other humans. We may not be classified as animals, but some of us sure the hell are.
He’s a despicable man who shot Dilan, who dragged me by my hair into the back of an alley, tied my hands together, and beat me with his fist. Kicked me repeatedly in the ribs, while calling me every name but the one my mom blessed me with. I hate him.
People take pain in so many ways. Me, I can hardly breathe, barely see. I feel pain everywhere. But nothing is worse than feeling the pain radiating off of someone else.
I’m not sure how long we’ve been cruising along. Long enough to know Aidan has checked out on me. Who can blame the man when his life walked by us and we heard those murderous screams coming from Deidre right before we pulled away? I need to do something, anything to get him to come back to me and fight.
Junior has brought enough pain into my life, and now as I sit here staring at Aidan, who cannot seem to move, through my swollen eyes, my anger turns me into one of those animalistic creatures. I’m going to kill this rat-bastard.
I nudge Aidan on the leg when the phone he has shoved somewhere in his pants continues to go off. The sound is faint, but I can hear it. “Aidan,” I whisper. He finally concedes to me getting his attention, when the little bit of vision I do have detects him fluctuating his long legs in my direction. “Don’t move, and no matter what I do, do not make a sound.” He’s looking right at me, I can feel it. The closer I get to him, the more I can see he’s looking right through me. Oh, god. I have to do something, anything to get him back here to the present. His entire life waltzed right by us. So did mine. My mom is wherever they are, too.
Like me, he’s stuck in here going to god knows where. I heard Deidre screaming for them to give her Diesel back, and then all of a sudden, the screaming stopped and the laughing coming from the front of our van began while a gun was shoved inside of Aidan’s mouth to get him to shut up and sit down.
And the man driving the van. I’m not sure if Aidan has recognized him or not. I have. He’s the security guard of the apartment building they live in.
I may not know much about this mafia life these men live. But I do know these men love with everything they have. They are selfless, righteous, caring, and have the biggest hearts out of anyone I have met. Aidan especially.
Who comes to a woman’s home they don’t even know, to take her away, to protect her and her mother from the scum of a heartless person who wants to take the life of an innocent person?
They aren’t perfect by any means. I’ve heard about the things they do. I know they commit crimes, steal, and god knows what else. I don’t care. They saved me.
Dilan took bullets that were meant for me tonight. I know they were. I don’t even know if he’s alive. I can only pray and hope he is. My heart is breaking right now. It’s time someone stood up to this son of a bitch.
Aidan continues to stare right through me. I scooch over as close to him as I can get once the vibrations begin again. I scope out the two monsters in the front, then quickly force my hands forward, my body straddling his legs, and I shove my hands into the front of his jeans. He flinches but says nothing. My hesitant hands find the phone, thankful it’s right there at the top.
“Don’t take it out. They’ll see the screen light up. Just start pressing buttons,” Aidan whispers vaguely. Well, shit, if I had known that all I would have had to do was stick my hands down the pants of a man who surely doesn’t want them there, I would have done this several minutes ago. Whatever it takes, Anna. I nod, doing what he asked, slinking back into my corner after doing so. The phone stops. And my plan begins.
“Where are you taking us?” Even though I’m scared to death, I’m able to keep my pitch steady.
Just as Junior turns around, his crazed eyes make me slink back into the corner more. I want him to think I’m afraid of him. I’m not, well, that would be a lie. I’m frightened, not only for me but for all of us. If our loved ones are following us, he obviously plans on killing us all. This is for all of them. I will sacrifice getting beat, killed if it means somehow, someway my friends and family can escape.
“Aidan’s sacred place. The place he loves so much. You know where, don’t you, Aidan?” What a cocky arrogant asshole. He’s taunting Aidan. What a little shit.